Special Coverage

Aloha Mangos Kitty best in class

VALLEJO, Calif. - In the words of Yogi Berra, trainer Carmela Anderson is hoping for deja vu all over again in Sunday's $50,000 Solano County Juvenile Fillies Stakes at the Solano County Fair.

Three years ago, Anderson won the race with Market Garden after the filly won her maiden at Pleasanton. On Sunday, Anderson will send out Pleasanton graduate Aloha Mangos Kitty to meet five rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong stakes for 2-year-old Cal-bred fillies.

"It's nice to think she could do the same. Her mother ran for me," Anderson said, referring to the stakes-placed Aloha Mangos.

Like Market Garden, is owned and bred by SLU Inc. Aloha Mangos Kitty, by hot first-year sire Royal Cat, is the lone runner in the field of six with a straight maiden victory to her credit, having defeated $160,000 purchase Wicked Sin by a length at Pleasanton on July 4.

Also in the field are , who won for a $12,500 tag at Stockton.

The rest of the field consists of maidens: Wager of Gold, Good Lord Gracie, and first-timer Sierra Sweetie.

Aloha Mangos Kitty made her career debut on June 19 at Golden Gate Fields.

"I've always had a lot of faith in her," Anderson said. "We've done a lot of gate work with her. She ran a little green in her first race and didn't like shipping."

Aloha Mangos Kitty has a pair of bullet drills since her victory.

"We're not pushing her, but she's getting better," Anderson said. "We hope to see more improvement this time."

Trainer Sherrie Monroe also has a little deja vu on her mind for Good Lord Gracie, who has flashed a bit of speed in two starts. Her dam, My Emotions, won this race in 1994.

"That's the only reason we're here," Monroe said. "That and the fact it's a short field.

"This is a one-eyed filly, and we've probably taken it a little easier on her than we should because things don't come quite as easy for her. She's training well up to the race, and I've done stupider things than enter her here."

I Apologize was a troubled fourth in the Juan Gonzalez and should be a threat.

Sierra Sweetie has a nice sprinkling of bullet works during her steady drills and gets the services of Hall of Famer Russell Baze. She, too, figures to be competitive.